Basic Biographical Details

Name: Helen Mary Bryce
Designation:  
Born: 23 February 1898
Died: 1974
Bio Notes: Mrs Helen Mary Bryce (maiden name unknown) was born on 23 February 1898 and studied at the Architectural Association, London from October 1919 to February 1920. She joined the firm of Orphoot, Whiting & Bryce in June 1922, first spending five months in their Paris office and then transferring to their Edinburgh office, where she remained until February 1924. She studied at the Edinburgh College of Art under John Begg from October 1925 to May 1929 and again from October 1931 until June 1932, when she obtained her diploma. In July the following year she passed the RIBA qualifying exam and was admitted ARIBA on 4 December, her proposers being Begg, Frank Charles Mears and her husband William Theodore Percival Bryce (born 1892), whom she may have first met when both were working in the firm's Paris office or previously when both were in London. William Theodore Percival had been admitted FRIBA a year or two before and had parted from Orphoot and Bryce around the same time, and the absence of Orphoot's signature on either Mr or Mrs Bryce's nomination papers suggests that there may have been a dispute between him and them around the time of the split of the practice. The Bryces' home address in the early 1930s was 78 Newbattle Terrace, Edinburgh, and from at least 1933 they were practising together from 40 Melville Terrace.

Helen and her husband moved to practice in England in the later 1930s. They would appear to have separated as they are never listed under the same address. They both died in England, Helen in 1974, her death being registered between July and September in Aylesbury, and her husband the previous year.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 440, Melville Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1933 *  
Item 2 of 478, Newbattle Terrace, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1933 *  
Item 3 of 4Longroof, Hervines Road, Amersham, BuckinghamshirePrivate/business(?)c. 1938  
Item 4 of 4Del Rosa, Hyrons Lane, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, EnglandPrivate/business(?)c. 1948  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 2Orphoot, Whiting & BryceJune 1922February 1924  
Item 2 of 2W T P Bryce & H M Brycec. 1933 Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3John Begg4 December 1933for Associateship
Item 2 of 3William Theodore Percival Bryce4 December 1933for Associateship
Item 3 of 3(Sir) Frank Charles Mears4 December 1933for Associateship

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2RIBA1938The RIBA Kalendar 1938-1939 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 2RIBA1948The RIBA Kalendar 1948-1949 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2England and WalesBirths, marriages and deaths  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no5205 (combined box 63)